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Exclusive interview with my brain

Mike Oliver, who writes frequently about his battle with a fatal brain disease,Lewy body dementia, finally gets some one-on-one time for this exclusive interview with his brain.

ME: Hey brain I need a report, what’s going on up there. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for days.

BRAIN: Well you should know, it’s your brain up here.

ME: Don’t get smart, brain. Remember you sent me some wrong information yesterday. I thought I saw a herd of cats in our yard having a tea party. I knew instantly it was a hallucination of course.

BRAIN: Yeah that was my bad, these little alpha synuclein proteins are tough little critters; they put the alpha in alpha. They took a couple million of my neurons yesterday and slimed them.

ME: Oh that must have been why I got up at 3:30 a.m. and went downstairs for no reason. I woke up staring at a wall.

BRAIN: I tell you, while I, er, we, have billions of neurons, I can’t keep taking these kind of hits and do my job.

ME: Well listen to me, Brain, I appointed you head of this organization for a reason. I have to say you were the leading candidate by a wide margin over the heart. Don’t get me wrong, I like the heart, but I can’t always trust it.

BRAIN: Yeah I hear you. Too sentimental.

ME: I just need you to play smarter here. This is a serious thing, an inflow of unwanted alpha snoopy proteins.

BRAIN: That’s alpha synuclein … you are confusing words Snoopy is a cartoon dog and you heard alpha and went with the dog thing.

ME: Me?

BRAIN: Well, right, US I guess. The latest research is that the bad proteins may be coming from the gut and climbing up to the brain where they wreak havoc, especially on memory.

ME: Really? Who did that research?

BRAIN: Well you read the same article, right?

ME: Oh, I guess I did. Which brings up another thing my memory sucks, what’s going on with our memory banks?

BRAIN: Well the Tactical Team is holed up in a previous unexplored storage space for the memory. I think they are trapped there like Davy Crockett at the Alamo.

ME: Well, keep up the fight. We may not have the strength to beat them head-on, but we can surely out-think them.

BRAIN: Well that’s a good thought.

ME: Thank you.

BRAIN: Thank you? I thought of it.

ME: No you didn’t. You just processed it for me to know. Look we don’t need to waste time arguing, let’s go get ‘em.

BRAIN: Yes I agree, but I feel a nap coming on.

ME: Funny, me too.

Please help us with your donation or participation in MikeMadness, a basketball tournament (and much more) to raise money for research and awareness of Lewy body dementia and other dementias. Go to www.mikemadness.org to see how how you can help.
Story originally appeared AL.com

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Don McLean — 329, 328

ALBUMS: Believers (1981); McLean (1972);

MVC Rating: Believers 3.5/$; McLean 3.0/$.

You know it’s difficult to break into the entertainment business and make a career at it. Ask Don “American Pie’ McLean. He broke in big time by writing and singing one of the all time classic songs. But as good as that song was – and I loved everything about the song and would sing it at the top of my lungs in the car with my parents – it was like a lightning bolt a flash of mighty heat and light. And then gone.

It was a song that crossed intergenerational boundaries. Singalong chorus, clever allegories.

The words were an elegy to Rock and Roll. Some took issue with the apparent conclusion that rock died (or at least lost its innocence the day Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash. The song is smart has a good tune and McLean was the right voice for it.

So what happened after ‘American Pie’? I may have had the 45 at one time but mainly I listened to it on the radio and wasn’t buying many records around 1971. I know he had another minor hit with ‘Vincent,’ a good song but no American Pie. Last year, when I saw a couple of McLean albums in a bargain bin, I decided to see what this guy was like and why he didn’t do more songs that were that good.

So for $4, I have two McLean albums, a self-titled one and Believers. I came away underwhelmed. Not that these folk songs were bad. There were some very good songs, nice melodies, interesting words on here — but nothing took off to the next level. I think I would benefit from hearing from a big fan of McLean’s, someone who can steer me to what I’m apparently missing.

McLean may be talking about himself here in ‘Bronco Bill’s Lament” of his self-titled album.

“I’m an old man now with nothing left to say; but oh God how I worked my youth away; You may not recognize my face; I used to be a star; a cowboy hero known both near and far.”

Even if McLean has had some slow years, he looks back fondly at his career.

In a 2014 interview with the Advocate he said:

“From an artistic standpoint, I’m taken somewhat seriously, or appreciated, everywhere. I’m happy about that because this business can be cruel and demeaning. The years have been good to me because the stature of my songs has increased rather than diminished.”

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Steve Martin –338

ALBUM: Let’s Get Small (1977)

MVC Rating: 4.0/$

I got this record around my junior or senior year in high school in Athens, Ga., and Steve Martin was taking off.

From writing for sketches on TV on shows such as the Smothers Brothers, he moved quickly to being an on-air comedian. His Saturday Night Live appearances boosted audiences by the hundreds of thousands. His ‘Excuse Me’ and “We’re just two wild and crazy guys’ became national catch-phrases. Then he went to movies. Some good ones Father of the Bride, All of Me; Some not so good, Dead Men Don’t Wore Plaid, Pennies from Heaven.

The Jerk in 1979 is along with Airplane, Dumb and Dumber and Ace Ventura Pet Detective, among the best lowbrow comedies of an era, punctuated with pratfalls and bathos.

Martin, Robin Williams and especially Jim Carrey drew heavily on the physical comedy of Jerry Lewis. But took that style to new and different levels.

But Martin was no lowbrow draw. Inspired by his philosophy classes, Martin considered becoming a professor instead of an actor–comedian, Martin’s Wikipedia page says..

“It changed what I believe and what I think about everything. I majored in philosophy. Something about non-sequiturs appealed to me. In philosophy, I started studying logic and they were talking about cause and effect, and you start to realize, ‘Hey, there is no cause and effect! There is no logic! There is no anything!’ Then it gets real easy to write this stuff because all you have to do is twist everything hard—you twist the punch line, you twist the non-sequitur so hard away from the things that set it up.”

That comedy was on full display on the ‘Let’s Get Small’ album.

On ‘One way to leave your lover’ he starts a lament about his girlfriend whome he lost one tragic night. I feel responsible Martin tells the audience. We were at a party and she had too much to drink. She snatched the keys from my hands. I told her no don’t go but she wouldn’t listen.
Then Martin pauses and says: “So I shot her.”
The audience doesn’t know whether to laugh or what.
He waits and then adds: “With a shotgun.”
Martin is chuckling a sinister chuckle.
Non sequitur delivered.

The comedy is good and the record is inexpensive. Should have no trouble finding for under $5.

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Daily Journal,May 10, 2019

2:45 p.m.: Need to remember journal every day. Still battling my hands a bit. I’m going to check out some of that transcription software. I’m not sure how it’s going to work but looking forward to trying. Also several folks here have it. (The software not Lewy.}

Will do a survey.

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The Left Banke — 361


ALBUM: The History of the Left Banke (1985)

MVC Rating: 3.5/$$

Rhino Records knows how to make something from not much. This decidedly minor group gets a cover with lots of photos, a plastic cover sleeve with Rhino’s catalog: Best of Troggs, the Nazz, the Standells, the Box Tops, and so on.

Then there is a history on a sheet inside that is everything you would ever want to know about four anonymous guys in a band you’ve hardly ever heard of. That’s Rhino! I love them. Who knows? We document their history and some time in the future there is a Left Banke revival? Nah, but they did one thing that put them on the pop-rock map: ‘Walk Away Renee.’ It’s a pop classic, strings and all. (The version by the Cowsills on their live album is awesome and where I first heard it at about 11 years old.)


‘Pretty Ballerina’ was their other hit and it’s not so much. Two tracks are from the group Stories, which had a cool song about interracial dating/love affairs that was likely bold for its day called Brother Louie. Stories morphed out of the Left Banke in early 1970s.

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BREAKING: Third annual Mike Madness charity tournament set for July 20

See AL.com version for updated version.

I just got word that we have agreed on a date with UAB which is donating the use of the UAB Recreation Center for 3-on-3 basketball games (and other hijinx) for charity.

We are raising money to fight this brain disorder that I have, along with more than 1 million other people.

It has no cure, no known cause and is fatal. It is the second leading cause of dementia behind Alzheimer’s disease. But few people are aware of Lewy, which physiologically is a cousin to Parkinson’s disease with symptoms similar to both PD and AD.

Trent Richardson drives like the football player he is at Mike Madness charity basketball tournament last year. The tournament is back again for its third year on July 20. More details to come. Photo — Trish Crain

In two years we have raised a total of more than $25,000 for research and awareness of Lewy body dementia. We started humbly with a $5,000 goal the first year and took in about $13,000. Last year we raised $12,000. (These numbers are coming from my math memory department in my brain which is currently under siege from rogue proteins, but I think they are about right.) I would love to raise $25,000 this year to push our total to $50,000.

I think we can do it. I think this will be the most successful one yet.

Details of the tournament will be coming but mark the date: July 20, UAB Recreation Center. We have the gym all day and will start pretty early in the morning. Again stay tuned.

.
Last year we had surprise visitors. Former NBA and UA basketball star Buck Johnson and former UA running back Trent Richardson joined us and even participated in a game or two

So stay tuned. Many more details to come.

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His and Hurricanes (Pt. 8 in a serial story)

“Stop there,” muscle head said.

He had a gun Prosby noticed, a Walter PP, pretty bad-ass pistol.

Prosby didn’t realize he said that out loud.

“I’ll show you how it works and fired a shot that whizzed by Prosby’s right ear.

“Now go ahead, piss and let’s go.”

Prosby turned to a tree. He took his time.

“Hey come on,” muscle head said. “Nobody takes this long.”

“I have a UTI,” Prosby said, confusing meathead.

And that’s when meathead made a meathead mistake.

He grabbed Prosby by the arm to turn him around and Prosby instantly had his hand on the gun, Using two hands with  lightning speed, Prosby snapped it upward, the sound of the gunshot straight up into the sky almost overpowered the sound of muscle brain’s wrist snapping like a rubbery chicken bone. Almost simultaneously, Prosby smashed the nose with his elbow and kneed him in the groin.

That was too easy, Prosby thought, putting the pistol in his waistband. Yes it  was too easy.

The other Dani Boy, the 6-foot-7-inch Gladiator reject and part-time driver, had Prosby in a crushing bear hug from behind.

Prosby managed to grab the Gladiator’s pinkies and snap them like wishbones while simultaneously stomping on his attacker’s foot.

“I love you too but not in the mood tonight,” Prosby  said, grabbing a handful of his Thor-like yellow hair and bringing down his head  to meet Prosby’ crunching knee lift to the face.

“Night-night,” Prosby said.

The  fight moves were courtesy of an ancient but little know self defense art said to have emanated out  of a game called basketball.

The defensive fight moves are called OMH, which no one can remember the meaning. It came from Alabama as basketball games became more and more violent. A tribe of older men needed a way to protect themselves, using techniques of basketball, like the Elbow Bash, the Wrist Snap, the Ankle Breaker, the Eye Gouge and the Rock Pick. These ancient techniques can be traced back to a day called Madness when tribes from near and far came to battle and ‘no blood, no foul’ became its creed.’

Now was time for Prosby to run. Dani would be coming and she will not be happy with her boys’ work. Now in a Level 2 Air Zone, gas masks were unnecessary in this part of Florida. But he took Gladiator’s anyway, and hung it with his own on a hip pack designed just for that.

He heard Dani’s voice calling out for her boys as he began to move lightly, quickly and decisively under the cover of the woods and darkness.

…..To Be Continued

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The Seven Stages of Lewy Body Dementia

I am excited to have found a new LBD resource. Unfortunately my finding led to another finding that I am probably a Stage 4 Lewy patient on a 7-part scale.

My new resource is Norma Loeb, and she runs the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center.

She contacted me recently after hearing the K-Pod podcast where I was interviewed by Kerri Kasem, daughter of Top-40 radio personality Casey Kasem who they believe died of LBD.

So glad she contacted me because the first thing I noticed going to her website was a post listing the seven stages of Lewy body. I have heard people talk of different stages. but I don’t believe I knew there were seven and I haven’t seen anything breaking that down in simple language like this.

I would classify myself in Stage 3 at best, but most probably Stage 4 based on this scale. Yikes. Although I believe I was diagnosed early. It has been nearly three years and it appears I am moving up (down?) the scale rather quickly. Makes it a little more serious when I put it like that.

I need to stretch my stages out a little longer, I think.

Without further ado, here is Norma Loeb’s post:

Dementia is a disease that affects millions of Americans. There are several types of dementia that we know of, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.

While forms of dementia vary in symptoms and severity, the Global Deterioration Scale aids in identifying the typical progression.

If you or someone you know may be in the early stages of dementia, here’s what you need to know about its seven stages:

STAGE ONE: NO COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage one is entirely undetectable to the patient, loved ones, and physicians. At this stage, individuals do not experience or present with any cognitive decline.

STAGE TWO: VERY MILD COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage two may bring subtle changes in the individual, such as mild forgetfulness. These instances may include forgetting names or having trouble locating familiar objects. In the second stage of dementia, it’s difficult or impossible to notice these minor symptoms, and a diagnosis is not yet able to be reached.

STAGE THREE: MILD COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage three involves mild cognitive decline. The symptoms may become more noticeable to loved ones of the individual in stage three dementia, and a diagnosis may be near. This stage often includes mild memory loss, out of character forgetfulness, and a slightly decreased ability to concentrate.

STAGE FOUR: MODERATE COGNITIVE DECLINE

Many people living with dementia are officially diagnosed during stage four, which is when physicians are able to pinpoint cognitive decline with an exam. At this point, the patient will likely present symptoms such as life-disrupting forgetfulness and out-of-character difficulty performing daily responsibilities. It may become more challenging for those with stage four dementia to manage finances or navigate to new locations.

STAGE FIVE: MODERATELY SEVERE COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage five is marked by moderately severe cognitive decline. Individuals in this stage often have notable memory loss and begin to struggle with daily activities. Significant details such as address or phone number may be difficult to recall, and those with stage five dementia will likely need assistance with tasks such as meal preparation and bathing.

STAGE SIX: SEVERE COGNITIVE DECLINE

Individuals in stage six need a high level of support to live comfortably. Memory loss tends to be significant, and many in stage six dementia are only able to recall memories of early life. Incontinence is common in this stage, and many patients also begin to lose their ability to speak. A change in personality may occur during this time period, which lasts an average of 2.5 years.

STAGE SEVEN: VERY SEVERE COGNITIVE DECLINE

Stage seven typically lasts for 1.5 to 2.5 years and is characterized by very severe cognitive decline. Patients in stage seven lose their ability to communicate, and are often unable to walk. Individuals in late stage dementia require extensive assistance with life’s activities, and often need round the clock support.

Dementia affects approximately 5 million Americans each year. Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) comprises approximately 1.4 million cases within this figure, and is often misdiagnosed. If you’d like to learn more about Lewy Body Dementia or seek support, please visit us online at lewybodyresourcecenter.org or reach out to our helpline at 516-218-2026.

My Vinyl Countdown post today in AL.com

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6 questions with professor who says Alabama could still reap billions expanding Medicaid

This is the intro to a story I did for AL.com . For full interview click on link at bottom.

Just say ‘Yes’ to Medicaid expansion and more people will get health insurance and the economic benefit will be in the billions of dollars.

Say no and the state gets no extra dough.

Alabama said ‘no’ in 2014, turning down full federal funding to expand the program to hundreds of thousands of people and the requisite economic benefit estimated to be in the billions of dollars.

Although we can’t go back and get that money — the federal funding was at 100 percent for three years. We can still say yes to expansion and reap benefits going forward. The federal funding fixes at 90 percent of costs starting in 2020. The state’s investment of $1 billion in Medicaid would generate $11 billion in increased economic activity between 2020 and 2023, according to David J. Becker, professor in UAB’s School of Public Health.

Becker has been at the forefront in studying the economics of an expansion. His reports have been cited by proponents, which include hospitals. We ask him six questions.

1. You were quoted by AL.com as saying the state missed out on the ‘deal of the century.’ Elaborate on what you mean by that.

For rest of story and commenters reaction, go here.


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Bits and Pieces: I hope Casey Kasem was a jerk on his own

The Dave Clark Band’s ‘Bits and Pieces’ is a bad song made worse by a bad video.  Check it out.

And I generally like DC5 songs, such as  ‘Glad all Over.’ But ‘Bits and Piece’s’ is a good title for a blog post that has, well, bits and pieces.

And that’s what this is.

I ruminate on this as I come out of my recent post on one-hit wonders. I like most of the songs on my personalized wonder list. But I considered and tossed out a couple because they weren’t good.

I was reminded of this when I visited another music blog today, and it was featuring a post about Henry Gross and the love-hate relationship with the song ‘Shannon.’ Oh the memories. See this well-done website called SliceTheLife  

I dislike — but secretly like  –Shannon, kind of like ‘Brandy’ by the Looking Glass.. But seeing this post reminded there was an album by Gross called ‘Plug Me into Something’ that I remember hearing every time  I visited a friend’s house. I have fond memories of that record but never bought it for whatever reason, probably because I heard it so much without paying for it. The friend also had the Brothers Johnson ‘Strawberry Letter 23,” which I did buy (the album,  Right on Time, and is reviewed here.

Anyway the thing that had me laughing today was the Casey Kasem, he of Top 40 fame, go off the rails on Gross’ song, Shannon, about a dead dog. SliceThe Life gives more detail on that. Here’s the video.

Casey Kasem died a few years ago of complications of Lewy body dementia.

That’s of course the disease I have and awareness of the disease is a big part of this blog and my life.

I hope those weren’t early signs of LBD.

I hope Casey was just having a bad day and being a  jerk on his own. But the fact is that this insidious disease can change personalities and behavior.

I am here to tell you readers, you have the right to shut me down if I act like that. I don’t advocate violence (especially against myself) but put a piece of duct tape over my mouth or something. Or just give me some ice cream, Chunky Monkey is fine.

In other bits and pieces. I see that, ironically I guess, the song by Europe called “The Final Countdown” was named one of the top all time one-hit wonders.

My Vinyl Countdown Salutes you. Here’s what VH1 said in this somewhat dated  release:

On VH1’s 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders, [Europe’s] Joey Tempest said: “It was quite a surprise that the song ‘The Final Countdown’ became such a big hit because it was written for the band, it was written for our concert, it was written to be the opening song in our concert. It was almost six-minutes long, it was never intended to be a short pop hit or anything, it was very much a surprise and its been used for all kinds of events, anything from Formula 1 to boxing. It’s been used for a lot, sort of like an anthem. I know there’s been some cover versions of it as well and I know when the Berlin Wall (fell), at the same time that all thing happened I know a lot of other people from that area saw the song as an anthem. I get a lot of letters about that. So its been interpreted in many ways.”

And again My Vinyl Countdown salutes you.